Eternal damnation vs mercy
Philosophy · asked by user [] · 2007-07-27 · 7 answers
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 - Divine and Demoniac Natures
16.19: "Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life."
16.20: "Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, O son of Kunt'e9, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence."
In the purport, Prabhupad writes - "......It is known that God is all-merciful, but here we find that God is never merciful to the demoniac. It is clearly stated that the demoniac people, life after life, are put into the wombs of similar demons, and, not achieving the mercy of the Supreme Lord, they go down and down, so that at last they achieve bodies like those of cats, dogs and hogs. It is clearly stated that such demons have practically no chance of receiving the mercy of God at any stage of later life."
In the purport to 16.21, " ...A sane man who does not want to glide down to the species of demoniac life must try to give up these three enemies, which can kill the self to such an extent that there will be no possibility of liberation from this material entanglement."
These verses seem to indicate the possibility of eternal damnation. Somehow, I was under the impression that since time is eternal, every soul at one point or another will recieve the mercy of Krishna and go back to the spiritual world. Was I wrong? Is it possible for some souls to be eternally trapped in the material world?
16.19: "Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life."
16.20: "Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, O son of Kunt'e9, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence."
In the purport, Prabhupad writes - "......It is known that God is all-merciful, but here we find that God is never merciful to the demoniac. It is clearly stated that the demoniac people, life after life, are put into the wombs of similar demons, and, not achieving the mercy of the Supreme Lord, they go down and down, so that at last they achieve bodies like those of cats, dogs and hogs. It is clearly stated that such demons have practically no chance of receiving the mercy of God at any stage of later life."
In the purport to 16.21, " ...A sane man who does not want to glide down to the species of demoniac life must try to give up these three enemies, which can kill the self to such an extent that there will be no possibility of liberation from this material entanglement."
These verses seem to indicate the possibility of eternal damnation. Somehow, I was under the impression that since time is eternal, every soul at one point or another will recieve the mercy of Krishna and go back to the spiritual world. Was I wrong? Is it possible for some souls to be eternally trapped in the material world?
user [38] · 2007-07-28
"Those who are envious..." = those who choose by their free will to be like that. If they choose a saintly life instead (mostly possible with otherss help only) they will be uplifted.user [12] · 2007-07-27
Hey great question, but how can someone like Stalin who killed millions of people ever get liberation? Probably he becomes more and more sinful and then goes to the brahmajyoti where he can simmer for a while before coming back here to become a demon again?user [30] · 2007-07-27
Well why cant he? If he gets the association of a pure devotee, even for a minute, wouldnt the seed of bhakti be planted? Wouldnt he obtain mercy that will gradually cleanse him and liberate him AFTER he has suffered for all his past reactions even if it takes say a billion years.......time is eternal is it not? Isnt that the whole point of mercy is that it is causeless?
user [12] · 2007-07-27
Yes you are right, and Krishna is also right. He doesnt bother to liberate such people but if a devotee wants to he can (assuming he is that powerful to change such a heart)user [71] · 2007-07-28
Prabhupada also said that eternal in this world means a very, very long time.user [2] · 2007-07-30
Eternal damnation is contrary to supreme mercy, should be always a way out, another thing is that the conditioned soul stubbornly does not take it.user [30] · 2007-07-30
Thanks everyone! It just seems to be glaring at me now....cant believe I didnt see the obvious answer before. :)